A True Pro, Behavior #8: Read, Read, Read

This is the eighth article in a series on the qualities and behaviors practiced by people who rise to the top of their professions. See the previous article on being curious and asking lots of questions.

“The best advice I ever got was that knowledge is power and to keep reading.” ~David Bailey, fashion photographer.

The most successful people are not just avid readers; they are typically voracious readers. They gain both knowledge and perspective by reading a diverse set of content. They enjoy both fiction and non-fiction. Reading is a staple of their daily diet, no less than food and water. The biographies of accomplished people almost always mention a stack of books by their bedside. Many believed their personal library to be among their most cherished possessions.

What does it mean to Read, Read, Read?

As a true professional, reading is not something you do only once in a while, or when you have to, it’s a regular and permanent habit which you have internalized. Reading is automatic. You read for pleasure and for knowledge. No matter what happens in your life or with your job, you face it more confidently, because the joy and knowledge gained from your readings can never be lost or taken away from you.

You read a lot because it stimulates your creativity, expands your vocabulary, and helps you develop concentration and analytical skills. Regular reading also helps you to improve your written and verbal communications skills. You read as much as you can about your profession, especially the latest trends and developments. You regularly scan trade journals and blogs that cover your field. You devour insightful and in-depth analysis on topics which impact your career. You pride yourself on being a well-read professional.

A true example

Growing up in Florida, I was a poor reader as a kid. It pains me to admit it, but I genuinely disliked reading. In retrospect, there were probably two reasons for this. First, reading was not encouraged in my household. My parents never read to me as a child. The only thing I ever saw them read my entire life was the Sunday newspaper. In short, I had no role models to impart the wonders and benefits of reading. I developed no habit for it.

Second, reading was something I was forced to do at school. All those boring text books. The books I was exposed to held no interest for me. In fact, reading was a chore. When my parents forbade me from going outside to play until I finished my homework, I saw reading as a form of punishment. It was something I was forced to do, so I always did it with great haste and distaste.

It wasn’t until my second year in high school that I read a book cover-to-cover I actually enjoyed. My English Literature teacher assigned the class Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Later in the year he assigned To Kill a Mockingbird.  I enjoyed both books, but I labored through them. I was a very slow reader. It took me three times longer than my peers to finish those books. It reinforced the notion in my mind that reading was not for me. A self-fulfilling prophecy can be a bad thing.

After graduating high school, I was torn between going to college or joining the military. My dad, who was a veteran of the Korean war, talked me into going to college. He wisely advised, “A college education will give you more choices in life.”

My grades and my budget were not sufficient to attend a four-year university, so I registered for classes at the local community college. A love of reading and good study habits are fundamental to a college education. I had neither; I flunked out the first semester. It was then and there that I realized how far behind I was and, if I didn’t fix it, I would likely be relegated to a career which would not allow me to fulfill my full potential.

It took me six years to get through college. My strategy was to take less than a full load each semester so that I did not get overwhelmed as I had my first semester. One of the things that saved me was being a good note taker. I never missed classes and took copious notes. In short, I simply applied myself.

My reading skills improved over time. Reading is like any other skill: the more you do it the better you get. I learned there are different ways to read material depending upon whether I was doing it for work, study, or pleasure; immersion or summary. I bought a lot of Cliffs Notes; abbreviated versions of books.

By the time I went to work in my first full-time job I was a reasonably proficient reader. I could read and comprehend as fast as most of my coworkers. But it was under my first boss and mentor's tutelage that I developed reading as a lifetime habit. As silly as it sounds, I thought I was largely done with reading. My formal education was behind me; I no longer had to read. My boss and mentor quickly dissuaded me of that silly notion. His mantra to all his employees was this: you will read at least one newspaper per day, one trade journal per week, and one book per month. And we all did…and I still do to this day.

Data point

Source: BCA Research

Social scientists cite studies that prove you do NOT have to be smart to become rich. I guess it all depends on what one considers “smart.” There are studies which show there is a direct correlation between one’s IQ and his or her income and net worth. Here’s what I have learned by observing successful people: The more you read, the smarter you get. The smarter you get, the more money you make. The more money you make, the more money you are likely to keep. Improving your vocabulary and cognitive skills will definitely help you earn and retain wealth. 

Strategies and tips for reading, reading, reading

So how do you put this internalized behavior into practice?

First, develop the art of skimming. Whether for work or pleasure, not every publication needs to be read word-for-word. Skim headlines, sub-headlines, call-outs, and summaries. Get into the habit of quickly distilling the essence of the material. Save in-depth reading for important, high-value content.

Second, stop reading something that is badly written, unsatisfying, or a waste of time. At home, there is no law saying you must finish a book. If it doesn’t engage you after a few chapters, toss it aside and pick up another. At work, send the piece back to whomever sent it to you and ask them to re-write it, or summarize the key points. In the companies I ran my employees needed to keep all memos to one page and every email needed to identify the objective and action required in the first sentence.

Third, always carry a good book or industry whitepaper and get in the habit of reading it anywhere and anytime. This is super easy to do today with digital devices. Whenever you have downtime you can always do a bit of reading, if only for 5-10 minutes. Whether you are on a bus, waiting to see the doctor, or standing in line to order coffee you can always sneak in a few paragraphs.

Fourth, highlight or underline salient points as you read. This helps your brain to retain the information. This practice also helps you to quickly go back and pull out the data you want to follow up on. If necessary, rip out the pages of the stuff you need to act upon. This practice always aggravates me when others do it with publications intended to be publicly shared, like with airline magazines. “But hey,” I think to myself. “Whatever they found that was so important just might change their life, or the trajectory of their company.” Good for them!

Fifth, join a book club, or dissect work-related content with coworkers. I’ve been a member of several book clubs over the years. I always enjoyed hearing other people’s perspectives about the books we shared. At work, I would often assign my managers an industry-related book, trade article, or whitepaper, then assemble them to discuss their findings and perspectives.

Sixth, keep a reading “wish list” and a few good books on your nightstand. Whenever your night stand starts running low, pull up your wish list and order one or two books off the top. Whenever you are attending a conference or dining with a colleague and a good book is recommended, write it down! Better yet, do what I do: log on to the net with your mobile device and order it on the spot.

Seventh, try audio books or podcasts. Earlier in my career I listened to a book on the way to and from work every day. I especially love book summary audio casts. They enable me to consume the essence of four or five books in the time it would normally take to read one book.

Finally, read an important article or work related memo aloud. There is something about hearing yourself recite the words which helps you become intimate with them. In this same vein, try writing a book review and posting it on the page where others are considering buying the book. Writing a review or summary of the book also helps you retain the story and converse about it with your associates. Shameless plug: Please review this book!

The Final Word, by Fran Lebowitz 

“Think before you speak. Read before you think.” 

Good reads and resources

Speed Reading: Comprehensive beginners Guide to learn the simple and effective methods of speed reading, by Robert Thomson

How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading, by Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren

Speed Reading: How to Dramatically Increase Your Reading Speed & Become the Top 1% of Readers - Read Faster, Learn Better, by Michelle Lawton

Hacking Literacy: 5 Ways To Turn Any Classroom Into a Culture Of Readers, by Gerard Dawson

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Stay tuned for Behavior #9: Have more than one idea and at least two solutions to every problem.

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Based on the book, A True Professional, by Michael O'Donnell